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isnt_it_pretty's review
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Outing, Homophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Violence, Rape, and Suicide
ivi_reads_books's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The book reads like a fairy tale especially towards the end.
I didn't feel the romantic connection between the main characters but liked the insight into the life of a midwife in the 19s
I didn't feel the romantic connection between the main characters but liked the insight into the life of a midwife in the 19s
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence, Confinement, Blood, Outing, Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
nhollie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
Solidly ehhh
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Animal death, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
sapphic_alpaca's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Outing, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Confinement, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Rape and Infidelity
kaitie_reads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Happy Publication Day!
This one deserves all of the stars.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. Rooted in Scottish folklore and based on the tale of "The Selkie Wife" this debut was absolutely mesmerizing. There is beautiful scene setting, page-turning suspense, amazing romantic tension, wonderful dialogue and also lgbtq representation contained within the pages of this sapphic love story and folklore retelling.
Part historical fiction, part fantasy romance, the story follows Jean, a midwife who has worked hard to reinstate her value to the community after being slandered for her choices in love. Afraid of making connections in her community, everything changes when she comes upon a laboring mother in need on a stormy night. Sensing that there is something dubious occurring, she forms a friendship with the woman and takes her under her wing.
If you love historical fiction with a little bit of a fairytale story included, I'd highly recommend this book. I loved the coastal vibe and Nova Scotia setting. The descriptive scenes and Jean's relationship with her natural setting is beautiful. I also love how the author reflects on nature and ties what's happening in the natural world into the occurences in our protagonist's story.
I always rate a book highly if it invokes an emotional response, and this story absolutely does.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one deserves all of the stars.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. Rooted in Scottish folklore and based on the tale of "The Selkie Wife" this debut was absolutely mesmerizing. There is beautiful scene setting, page-turning suspense, amazing romantic tension, wonderful dialogue and also lgbtq representation contained within the pages of this sapphic love story and folklore retelling.
Part historical fiction, part fantasy romance, the story follows Jean, a midwife who has worked hard to reinstate her value to the community after being slandered for her choices in love. Afraid of making connections in her community, everything changes when she comes upon a laboring mother in need on a stormy night. Sensing that there is something dubious occurring, she forms a friendship with the woman and takes her under her wing.
If you love historical fiction with a little bit of a fairytale story included, I'd highly recommend this book. I loved the coastal vibe and Nova Scotia setting. The descriptive scenes and Jean's relationship with her natural setting is beautiful. I also love how the author reflects on nature and ties what's happening in the natural world into the occurences in our protagonist's story.
I always rate a book highly if it invokes an emotional response, and this story absolutely does.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Murder, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual violence
gothbaby's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Sweet Sting of Salt has cemented my undying love for historical and romantic books between women taking place in the 1800s. There was something so rich and satisfying about the way Rose Sutherland created her world and dropped me right in it.
From the cover to the synopsis, I knew I would love The Sweet Sting of Salt before even committing to reading it in its entirety (and I stood corrected!). This was such a beautiful read, I wanted more and more and more of Jean and Muirin and their day-to-day in this little seaside town and the sea. So much of it reminded me of a more fantastical The World to Come and I cannot get the parallels out of my mind. One of the things I kept hoping for were more emotionally charged and intimate moments between the two protagonists. I ached for more yearning which I don’t feel was quite as strong as I expected it to be.
While there was so much more I wish I could have read about but I think the author kept a good pace in terms of the overall plot. I will say, however, that it lacked a true built-up when it came to the big reveal. From the very beginning I felt as if the author was hand-feeding me all of the details and I was then waiting on Jean to catch up. I don’t necessarily believe that impacted my general enjoyment of the book, but I was less than thrilled when the reveal occurred and it didn’t add to my feelings about the story or the characters. There were no true surprises and, in my honest opinion, no “a-ha!” moment (including the unravelling of the dynamic between Jean and the Silbers, followed by, again, the big reveal).
Overall this was a lovely read. Although not as emotionally impactful as I hoped, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story itself and the characters! The cover is beautiful and I adored Muirin’s adoration of Jean—especially all the sweet ways she always looked and interacted with Jean physically.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Rose Sutherland, and NetGalley for granting my wish to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
From the cover to the synopsis, I knew I would love The Sweet Sting of Salt before even committing to reading it in its entirety (and I stood corrected!). This was such a beautiful read, I wanted more and more and more of Jean and Muirin and their day-to-day in this little seaside town and the sea. So much of it reminded me of a more fantastical The World to Come and I cannot get the parallels out of my mind. One of the things I kept hoping for were more emotionally charged and intimate moments between the two protagonists. I ached for more yearning which I don’t feel was quite as strong as I expected it to be.
While there was so much more I wish I could have read about but I think the author kept a good pace in terms of the overall plot. I will say, however, that it lacked a true built-up when it came to the big reveal. From the very beginning I felt as if the author was hand-feeding me all of the details and I was then waiting on Jean to catch up. I don’t necessarily believe that impacted my general enjoyment of the book, but I was less than thrilled when the reveal occurred and it didn’t add to my feelings about the story or the characters. There were no true surprises and, in my honest opinion, no “a-ha!” moment (including the unravelling of the dynamic between Jean and the Silbers, followed by, again, the big reveal).
Overall this was a lovely read. Although not as emotionally impactful as I hoped, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story itself and the characters! The cover is beautiful and I adored Muirin’s adoration of Jean—especially all the sweet ways she always looked and interacted with Jean physically.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Rose Sutherland, and NetGalley for granting my wish to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Violence
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